Washington, D.C. – Today, the National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) announced ATP Oil & Gas Corporation as the recipient of the 2012 Safety-in-Seas Award as the association marked its 40th anniversary at its annual meeting in Washington, D.C. ATP was recognized for their outstanding contribution to the safety of offshore energy workers as well as for the “ATP Titan”, a deepwater drilling and production facility in the Gulf of Mexico.

ATP’s award-winning nomination was selected by a blue-ribbon panel of judges from the U.S. Coast Guard, the National Academy of Science’s Marine Board, and the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.

According to Randall Luthi, NOIA President, “ATP's initiative, which preceded the Macondo blowout by 3 years, demonstrates the type of safety commitment, risk assessment and mitigation, and close collaboration with the regulators that is critical to the long-term success of the offshore oil and gas industry. The judges and NOIA applaud ATP for their safety leadership and are pleased to present the company with this prestigious award.”

ATP is recognized for innovative safety leadership in the design of the drilling systems for the ATP Titan platform, a deepwater drilling and production facility in the Gulf of Mexico. ATP Titan drilling operations employ both surface and subsurface barrier systems to further reduce the safety and environmental risks associated with deepwater development. In addition to the blowout preventer (BOP) stack on the ATP Titan platform, redundant and independently controlled blind shear rams are incorporated in a subsea isolation device installed on the seafloor. The ATP Titan thus has two independent BOP systems connected by a high pressure drilling riser. This arrangement significantly increases the options for shutting-in a well, protecting workers, and preventing pollution.

This year’s Safety-in-Seas Award was presented at NOIA’s annual meeting, where the association is celebrating 40 years of commitment to America’s offshore energy industry.

“The offshore energy industry has certainly changed over the past 40 years,” said Luthi. “The technology involved in finding and producing offshore energy is truly astonishing, and has made the industry safer, more efficient and more environmentally friendly. The Outer Continental Shelf holds immense energy potential that remains unrealized due to current restrictions. Our industry stands ready, with the knowledge gained over decades of experience and an innovative spirit, to deliver homegrown domestic energy while creating American jobs across the nation.”

Over the past four decades, NOIA has effectively represented the interests of all facets of the offshore energy industry, which is vital to the economic prosperity and energy security of the nation. To commemorate the anniversary, NOIA has produced an array of historical resources, including a 40th Anniversary video, a list of 40 significant industry milestones, a graphic timeline of 15 major offshore industry achievements, and a host of additional information that highlights the significant contributions of the offshore energy industry. NOIA will be commemorating the anniversary throughout the year as the association and its members work to increase access to the Outer Continental Shelf.

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ABOUT NOIANOIA is the only national trade association representing all segments of the offshore industry with an interest in the exploration and production of energy resources on the nation’s outer continental shelf. The NOIA membership comprises more than 275 companies engaged in business activities ranging from producing to drilling, engineering to marine and air transport, offshore construction to equipment manufacture and supply, telecommunications to finance and insurance.

ABOUT THE SAFETY IN SEAS AWARD

Acknowledging the significant contributions made by modern-day pioneers in their pursuit of the ocean frontier, Compass Publications, Inc., publishers of Sea Technology Magazine, established the NOIA Safety and Seas Award in 1978. The award recognizes excellence among those who, by their actions, design or influence, have contributed to improving the safety of life offshore. The award, now in its 32nd year, continues to serve as a testimony to the high standards associated with the rapid growth of the ocean industries.

ABOUT ATP OIL & GAS CORPORATION

ATP Oil & Gas is an international offshore oil and gas development and production company with operations in the Gulf of Mexico, Mediterranean Sea and the North Sea. The company trades publicly as ATPG on the NASDAQ Global Select Market. For more information about ATP Oil & Gas Corporation, visit www.atpog.com.